There is a continuing desire in the electrical and electronics industry to reduce the the size of electrical components and electronic equipment. There is, therefore, an increasing tendency to use cables having relatively small conductors on closely spaced centers. Cables having conductors located on centers which are 0.050 inches (1.27 mm) apart are commonly used. Cables having conductors located on centers which are 0.025 inches (0.63 mm) and closer are being developed.
While soldering and laser welding techniques can be used to terminate closely spaced conductors, these means are relatively expensive. There is an increasing need, therefore, for electrical connecting devices which can be mass terminated to closely spaced conductors, particularly those which lie essentially in the same plane. The invention disclosed herein is one such device. The device is intended for use with conductors which are contained within an insulating sheath, such as flat flexible cable and ribbon cable and with conductors that have been deposited on the surface of an insulating substrate, such as conductive ink and etched traces on membrane or printed circuit boards.
The device is comprised of an insulating housing and one or more contact terminals therein. The housing has an elongated conductor receiving face, an oppositely facing conductor entry face, oppositely facing parallel sidewalls, and oppositely facing parallel endwalls extending between the faces. The housing further has contact receiving cavities extending between the faces, the cavities being essentially parallel to the sidewalls. The elongated conductor receiving face has a conductor carrier receiving slot. The slot is essentially parallel to the endwalls and extends rearwardly into the housing from the receiving face and the terminal conductor carrier. The terminal conductor carrier includes members in which the conductors are surrounded by an insulating sheath as well as members which the conductors have been deposited on, an essentially planar insulating substrate, the upper surface of the conductors being free of insulation.
Each contact terminal is a flat one piece stamped sheet metal member having an elongated conductor connector means at one end. The connecting means has first and second jaw members and a throat portion. The jaw members have free ends and fixed ends. The fixed ends are spaced from each other and attached to the throat portion. The free ends are spaced from each other and movable toward each other.
The free end of the first jaw member further has a portion that extends outwardly from the elongated conductor receiving face of the housing.
After inserting a conductor between the first and second jaw members, the terminal is applied to the conductor by applying a deforming force to the free end of the first jaw member. The outwardly extending portion of the first jaw member moves into the housing until the portion is flush with the front face. Concomitantly, the first jaw member moves into clamping engagement with the elongated conductor and the second jaw member, thus establishing electrical contact with the conductor.
The device as disclosed herein requires a relatively low deforming force to crimp the terminal onto the conductor. The device may be applied using simple hand tools, such as a pair of pliers.
The advantages and other features of this invention will become more apparent through reference to the following description and drawings.